The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-10

/ charge and try and throw off this foe. that
were so rapidly drawing the life blood Of our
regiment by their deadly fire. 1t must not
be the former-how can it be the latter ?
| Col. Chamberlain decides 1t can be onlg the
latter, and gives the order to "fx bayonets, T"
and almost before he can say "Chargew the
regiment, with shout Of desperation, leaps
down the hill and closes In with the foe,
whom we find behind every rock and tree
Surprised and overwhelmed by this sudden
and unexpected movement, the most OF
| them throw down their arms and surrender.
Some fight till they are slain; the others
run like herd Of wild cattle" as Col. Oates
| himself expresses it. In their flight they
were met by Captain MorrilPs company OBJ,
which we supposed had been captured, but
which, cut off from the regiment before they
| could deploy,..so soon was the advance made
on us when we went into position, had taken
refuge behind a stone wall till the time ar
rived when they could render assistance,
which they now did by such well directed
I-yolleys thatiiL compelled over 100 Of the fugi-
tiyes to surrender to them.
Lieut.. Col. Bulger, commanding the 47th
Alabama, was wounded, and fell into our
hands, with over 800 prisoners and all the
wounded. We buried so Of their dead left on
the field Col. Oates, in his official report
says: AFTER all had got up, / ordered the
rolls Of the companies to be called. When
the battle commenced, four hours previously,
j had the strongest and finest regiment In
Hoods Division. Its electives numbered
nearly 700 officers and men; now 225 an
swered at roll call, and more than one-half
of my officers had been left ON the field"
The charging Of one regiment Of brigade
alone and without orders from the brigade
commander, was exceptional in the usual
tactics Of battle; but 1t was the only way
Col. Chamberlain could carry out the orders
he received-to ''hold the position for there
would have been none remaining for that
duty in very short time had the enemy not
been routed by the charge.
The final formation OF the regiment was
such, that when the charge was made 1t was
in direction directly to the rear from the
way the rest Of the regiments Of the brigade
were facing and fighting and the enemy, or
the most Of them, were driven in their fight
at first, directly to the rear Of the line Of bat
tie of our army, which accounts in part for
SO few Of them escaping.
Pursuing the fleeing enemy as far as was
safe without uncovering the the position
the regiment had been ordered to hold on
Little Round Top. it returned with the pris-
oners, bringing in the wounded Of the enemy
also, which were sent to the rear. Then the
survivors of the regiment set about erecting
works to cover them IRON any other attack
that might be made.
AS the shadows Of night were gathering in
the woods in our front, Col. Rice-who sue
ceeded in command of the brigade when Vim
cent fell-came to the regiment and said to
our colonel that orders had come from head
quarters to occupy Round Top at once-that
fresh troops had been sent here for that du-
ty, but as the Goth Maine was in front it
could remain there if it claimed the honor.
The reply was, "The Goth Maine Is in the
front and propose to keep there; what say
you boys?" Those who were not too much
exhausted to do so by the terrible conflict
just passed through, shouted, 80 say wet"
Advancing in line of battle we began the
difficult ascent Of Round Top, which lowered
some 200 feet above US, directly in our front
heavily wooded. with lodges cropping out
on its sides, and immense beulders strewn
everywhere. 1t would have been hard task
under the most favorable conditions, but
with the increasing darkness, the constantly
expected volleys from the fee we supposed
we were to meet any moment, it required all
the energy and courage we could muster, and
was an experience that can never be for
gotten.
Fortunately for our little band, the enemy
wehad fought and routed just before on Little
Round Top were too badly beaten to be raj
lied on Round Top, as their officers had at
tempted to do, so that we gained the hill
without serious opposition, and at once
erected breastworks from the rocks that
were there in abundant quantity.
Company B was again sent out to cover
our front. Advancing down the hill to es-
tablish his picket line Capt. Morrill, was
challenged by some one from out the dark
ness, in response to which he asked, .Who
are you? "The 4th Texas" was the an
swer. "We are the 9th Texas, come right up
here, boys" was Capt. Morrilrs prompt re-
| ply, in response to which through the woods
and the darkness "a Of the enemy, who were
somewhat bewildered in attempting to es-
tablish their picket line, and supposing they
| were coming to connect their line with q
regiment of their own brigade, were not a
little surprised to find themselves surround
ed by Yankees from Maine They promptly
obeyed the command given them to throw
down their arms and surrender. Ascertain
ing that part Of their picket line had beer
captured. the enemy opened savage fire o.
musketry which was promptly returned.
Capt. Morrill,, finding 1t too much to hold
his prisoners and his line against such al
attack. sent TO the regiment for reinforce
ments, and Company L was sent out, which
took the prisoners to the rear. Hearing thu
fire on his picket line and expecting heavy
attack, Col. Chamberlain looked for his sup
port-the 9TH and 18th regiments Pennsylva-
mia Reserves-which had followed us as we
advanced up the hill. He found them In line
facing to the rear, having become Devil
dered in the woods and darkness Finding
their commanding officer, he requested HIM
to face his line in support, telling him the
front was in the direction Of the firing. He
replied Colonel Chamberlain, this is He'll, =
and in attempting to reform his line, II
broke and fell back down the hill leaving the
Goth Maine alone on Round Top, with the
picket line:in close conflict with numer.
GUS and active enemy in our froHt. Word
was sent back for reinforcements, and Col
Rice sent up the s3rd Pennsylvania regiment
Of our own brigade, which formed on oul
right in support.
The long weary night was passed In anx
ious watchfulness, expecting an attack an,
moment. At the earliest dawn we coul,
hear the Rebel officers arousing their mel
and strengthening their works near the bas,
of the hill. A lively picket fire began tina
continued until we were relieved at 1
o'clock a. M, during which we lost severa
men, and Lieutenant Linscott was fatal,
shot while on the picket line.
All the morning the roar Of the terribl
battle raging on the extreme right wa
heard, and when we marched from the hill
in that direction we supposed we were OF
the way to assist our comrades on that par
of the field, but were gratified to find our
selves assigned to the second line on the lei
centre, where we were on duty until tn
close of the battle.
The Twentieth lost In the whole fight
hundred and thirty-seven men.